Richie Stearns & Rosie Newton

Richie Stearns and Rosie Newton are a dynamic duo performing music rooted in the Americana tradition. Over the past four years they have collaborated in various projects and formed the duo after hours of jamming in Stearns’ kitchen, experimenting with traditional and original songs. Richie Stearns and Rosie Newton take the fiddle, banjo combination to new levels as they continue to expand the boundaries of this tradition. Richie’s clawhammer playing is like no other. Crisp, clean, popping and melodic. Wistful. His creativity and versatility made their presence known on each tune. Rosie’s perfectly-timed and soulful fiddle-playing makes an ideal complement to Richie’s banjo. There is ache and wisdom in Richie’s voice. That well is deep. Layer that with
the strength and beauty in Rosie’s and you have a winning combination with harmonies carrying the night.

Richie Stearns is a legendary banjo player and singer, and has led bands including the Horse Flies, and Donna the Buffalo. He has also played with countless others, and tours with Natalie Merchant. He is steeped in the traditions of American old-time music, Appalachian folk, blues, African, rock, and country music.

Rosie Newton tours with The Duhks, Louisiana legend Preston Frank, Red Dog Run, the Evil City Stringband, Home Remedy and occasionally The Pearly Snaps. She has taught fiddle at Sunshine Coast School of Celtic
music, the Taylor Music Festival and the Black Pot Camp.

“Rosie Newton is a truly monster old-time fiddler, and seems to be at the center of a real scene in Ithaca, New York. Not only is she a marvelously dextrous fiddler, pulling a huge variety of syncopated rhythms out of old-time bowing, but she’s also a ferocious fiddler, tearing into a fiddle tune like a lioness tearing into a gazelle.

Shop at Kroger and use a Kroger Plus Card?

If you shop at Kroger and use a Kroger Plus Card, you can assign The Prism Coffeehouse as your designated non-profit to receive your Community Rewards! Just click here, and when prompted, type in either "90496" or "Prism Coffeehouse". Once you have done that, the Prism will be automatically set up to receive a percentage of almost all your purchases (or your money spent anyway)! That will defray the costs of hotels for some of the artists we bring to town. As a non-profit organization, every dollar counts. Thank you!

Help Us Grow!

The Prism Coffeehouse is seeking volunteers to help with their live acoustic music concert programming. As a fun & dedicated organization, the Prism can use help in all aspects of its organization, including staffing on the days of shows, sound production, fundraising, publicity, graphics, accommodations arrangement, volunteer coordination, & website management. Join the Prism in bringing excellent acoustic & folk music to Charlottesville and help us grow! Please contact Laura Seale at prismvolunteer@gmail.com or 434-974-7233